Amy Ella Blanchard

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Amy Ella Blanchard was an American writer best remembered for children's and young adult fiction. Sources consulted during this search agree that she was active across poetry and prose, and that she studied art in New York City and Philadelphia before turning fully to writing.

Early in her career, she taught art and drawing, including work connected with Baltimore and a period teaching in Plainfield, New Jersey. Her first poem was published when she was still a teenager, and she went on to build a remarkably large body of work.

Today, many of her books remain easy to find through Project Gutenberg and library catalogs, including titles such as Bonny bairns, A Dear Little Girl, Because of Conscience, and Janet's College Career. That long afterlife hints at her appeal: clear storytelling, affectionate humor, and a strong interest in the inner worlds of girls and young women.